







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Oh, come on dear, I was just joking, you know that... | |
| No, but it's not good for him to take the stairs up and down everyday. | |
| Hey, which is the closest station to China Town? | |
| Also, one of my friends works there. | |
| Okay, the grated one's 20% off today. | |
| Do you need to wake up early tomorrow or something? | |
| His name's Sergio. | |
| Bear is okay with cats, but definitely not with dogs. | |
| No, it's not okay, I'm screwed now! | |
| I can't call him at the moment because his phone is unreachable. | |
| That's why you can't find the answer! | |
| I'm a web designer. | |
| Are you with your friends? | |
| That's nice, I like the music and the lyrics. | |
| Yes, sorry, everything seems filthy, but believe me, it's not my fault! | |
| Is there anything else you want me to do? | |
| Well, I hope he doesn't keep on pooping all around the house! | |
| No, it's the owner, she is an old lady and very strict about that. | |
| Thanks for being thoughtful, dear. | |
| The cat is not actually mine, it's my girlfriend's cat. | |